Upgrading from an APS-C camera to a full-frame camera can seem daunting, but it can be a smooth and exciting transition with the right approach. As you switch, you’ll need to consider everything from lenses to technique to get the most out of your new full-frame sensor. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the essential steps and considerations on APSC to Full Frame conversion to help make your upgrade to full frame as seamless as possible.
Understanding Sensor Size Differences
The first thing to wrap your head around is the difference in sensor size between APS-C and full frame. Depending on the brand, APS-C sensors have a crop factor of 1.5x or 1.6x. This means the sensor captures a smaller portion of the image projected by the lens. Full frame sensors capture the entire image area without cropping.
This difference in sensor size has several important implications:
- Field of View: With the same lens, the entire frame offers a wider field of view compared to APS-C. This allows you to get more of the scene into each image.
- Noise: For a given megapixel count, the larger pixels on a full-frame sensor generally deliver better low-light performance and reduced noise.
- Depth of Field: Full frame sensors create a shallower depth of field at any given aperture. This allows more background blur and subject isolation.
- Lenses: You’ll need full-frame lenses for the larger sensor. APS-C lenses will work but with heavy cropping.
Understanding these factors will help you know what to expect when switching and how to adapt your shooting approach.
Choosing the Right Full-Frame Camera
With sensor size out of the way, you can now focus on picking the right full-frame body for your needs. The good news is that a full frame no longer means breaking the bank.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Budget: Full frame prices range from around $1,000 to $6,000+. Set a budget to narrow down your options.
- Resolution: Higher megapixels provide more flexibility for large prints and aggressive cropping. A good starting point is 24MP.
- Low Light Performance: Look for a decent ISO range (at least 100-25,600) and good high ISO image quality.
- Autofocus System: More AF points and advanced systems like eye AF improve performance for action shots.
- Video Features: If you shoot a video, check for 4K, mic inputs, flat profiles, and dual UHS-II SD slots.
- Size/Weight: Full-frame bodies tend to be larger. If size matters, look into mirrorless options.
- Lens Ecosystem: Consider what lenses are available and affordable within your system.
Take some time to handle potential cameras in person. Ergonomics and menus can vary a lot between brands. Find one that feels intuitive to you.
Building Your Full Frame Lens Kit
Switching to the full frame also means investing in new lenses for larger sensors.
When building out your arsenal, start with these three basics:
1. Standard Zoom Lens
A versatile 24-70mm f/2.8 or 24-105mm f/4 lens can cover everything from landscapes to portraits with excellent image quality. This will likely see heavy use, so get the best you can afford.
2. Wide Angle Lens
Ultra-wide zoom or prime lenses like 14mm, 16-35mm, or 20mm open new composition options perfect for landscapes, architecture, and astrophotography.
3. Telephoto Lens
Look into popular 70-200mm f/2.8 or 70-300mm f/4-5.6 zooms to boost your reach for wildlife, sports, and distant subjects. Fast primes around 85mm or 135mm also excel at subject isolation.
When evaluating lens options, consider factors like speed (f/stop), image stabilization, weather sealing, and autofocus speed/accuracy. High-end lenses hold value well, so consider them investments.
Adapting Your Shooting Approach
The transition to full frame will also influence how you shoot.
Here are some ways a larger sensor may impact your technique:
- Focus Recompose: Take advantage of a more forgiving shallow depth of field by focusing and then recomposing your shot.
- Subject Isolation: Use wider apertures to blur backgrounds and draw focus to subjects. But also be careful of accidentally throwing distracting elements out of focus.
- Framing: Frame a bit looser to account for the broader field of view. Also, utilize negative space more thanks to expanded scene coverage.
- Low Light: Embrace shooting at higher ISOs to capture darker scenes and freeze action. But also leverage image stabilization to keep ISOs as low as possible.
- Composition: Use leading lines, patterns, foreground elements, and layers to craft more compelling landscape and architecture shots.
The key is to get comfortable with these effects through practice. Focus on learning the nuances of your new gear first before rushing into essential shoots.
Post Processing Differences
The transition to the full frame also warrants adjustments to your post-processing workflow.
Here are a few things to be aware of:
- Noise Reduction: Shoot at lower ISOs to minimize noise. But also learn proper noise reduction techniques to handle high ISO shots.
- Lens Corrections: Most full-frame lenses need profile correction for distortions, vignetting, and aberrations.
- Sharpening: With higher resolution files, sharpen images later in the post for improved detail and edge definition.
- Cropping: Use extra resolution to crop aggressively while retaining enough megapixels for large prints.
- Aspect Ratios: Framing in the camera is more flexible with a full frame. But you can still crop to different ratios in post if needed.
- Sky Replacement: When desired, the broad field of view lends itself well to sky replacements in landscape shots.
Don’t try to re-edit old APS-C shots – work with fresh full-frame images. Let the larger sensor inspire your creativity in the post!
Handling DX Lenses on Full Frame
If you already own APS-C format (DX on Nikon, EF-S on Canon) lenses, you have a few options for continuing to use them with full frame:
- Crop Mode: Enable crop mode in the camera. You’ll get reduced megapixels, but lenses will behave normally. Great for wildlife and sports.
- Crop in Post: Leave the camera in full frame mode, but crop images later. Gives you flexibility at the expense of resolution.
- Use Adapters: Lens adapters for Canon EF-S enable full frame use, but often with limitations like no autofocus.
- Sell Them: Resell DX lenses to help fund total frame replacements—less hassle than long-term adaptation.
Ideally, you’ll want native full-frame lenses to get the most from your sensor. But you can consider DX lenses as a temporary, budget-friendly solution.
Full Frame Case Study
Let’s walk through a real-world example to help illustrate the complete frame transition.
John is a serious hobbyist who has shot with a Nikon D7500 and 18-55mm kit lens for three years. He loves capturing landscapes on camping trips but seeks sharper detail and more dynamic range.
After researching options, he sold his D7500 and purchased:
- Nikon Z5 Full Frame Mirrorless Camera
- Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 Full Frame Z-mount Lens
- Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 Z-mount Lens (adapted for full frame)
During his first trip with the new gear, he quickly notices a few differences:
- Wider field of view with the same focal lengths
- More extraordinary ability to blur distracting backgrounds
- Increased sharpness when focusing on foreground objects
- More exaggerated light falloff and lens vignetting
Thankfully, these effects are easy to adjust to with some practice. The 24-85mm full-frame lens provides beautiful sharpness across the frame.
John needs to apply heavier vignette correction and noise reduction for post-processing. But he loves the flexibility to crop images while retaining plenty of resolution.
After months of mastering his gear, John’s photography improves dramatically. The entire full-frame sensor gives him a more dynamic range to work with. And the lenses render fine details and textures in the landscape beautifully.
While the learning curve was substantial, John is thrilled with his upgrade and excited to continue improving his craft. The possibilities of a full frame have expanded his creative vision.
Conclusion
The jump to full frame is an exciting milestone that can take your photography to the next level. However, it requires planning and practice to transition smoothly without compromise. Use this guide to set proper expectations, invest in the right gear, adapt your technique, and get comfortable with your new setup. While full frame has challenges, the benefits of image quality and creative flexibility are worth the effort for many photographers. Keep an open mind and stay motivated to learn; your full-frame camera will become an innovative tool.
FAQs
How much better is full-frame image quality versus APS-C?
The larger sensor can improve resolution, dynamic range, noise, and optical quality when using high-end full-frame lenses. But technique matters more than gear for most genres.
Is full frame suitable for all types of photography?
Full frame excels for landscape, portrait, and low light work. But high-end APS-C cameras can still deliver excellent results in sports or wildlife where reach is essential. Evaluate your individual needs.
Will my full-frame lenses work on APS-C cameras?
Full-frame lenses work fine on APS-C cameras with a cropped field of view. So you won’t get the full broad-angle effect, but performance is often excellent.
How close do I need to be with the entire frame?
The shallower depth of field means you sometimes need to move closer to keep all elements in focus. But the higher resolution also allows more aggressive cropping as needed.
Do I need to buy all new lenses?
To fully leverage the benefits of full-frame, native lenses are best. But you can still use cropped or adapted APS-C lenses in a pinch. Build up your entire frame lens collection over time.
Is full frame worth upgrading to as an amateur?
A full frame can provide meaningful benefits in image quality and creative flexibility for severe hobbyists who have mastered APS-C. But consider your budget and shooting needs.